over half way!!

These are weeks 18,19,21&22 of the belly

It's been awhile...there hasn't been too much to report lately since things are coming along just fine. I saw the doctor today and its pretty uneventful at these appointments. Just pee in a cup, get weighed, check blood pressure and then meet with the doctor to listen to the baby's heart beat and ask any questions. I always like hearing the heart beat but feeling her move daily is super awesome, too. We're guessing that she must like aerobics classes: kick boxing, step and tae kwon do. I worked a few night shifts last week and boy was she active all night long!! I wonder if she's always that active during the night and I just don't know it when I 'm sleeping. I'm sure I'll find out later as her movements continually become less ignore-able :) Her movements are already big enough that I can see my belly lurch. That's kind of crazy to see!

I had some fun being crafty last week. I made curtains to match the baby bedding we bought and also decorated the lamp shades to jazz them up a bit. (planning to paint the room green) Yes, I could have done these things much more simple... but it was SO MUCH FUN! I guess that's the way I channel my excitement right now by doing projects to get ready for when she arrives.

We've been discussing names some. No conclusions yet... and it will be kept a surprise until her arrival. It's funny how there were plenty of names I thought I would like to name my kids one day but when the time comes to really choose one, there's alot of pressure. Suddenly you have to do all of the checks to make sure its not something that will be horribly made fun of one day in school: what it rhymes with, what it shortens down to, what the initials will be.

and the baby is a.....

Today was the day to find out....what's it going to be, boy or girl?! Well, start preparing for butterflies and flowers, pinks and purples...It's a girl!! I guess the Carrington trend of so long has been broken lately as this is now the 4th girl. Dan and I had a bet, me betting girl, him choosing boy. If it was to be a girl, he has to actually put away his laundry after it is done each weekend for 4 weeks. If it were to be a boy, I was going to have to wake up with Dan at 6:00 am on my days off for 2 weeks. Wheew!!!
More importantly from the ultrasound was the fact that all vital organs and growth development check out just fine. As the tech was getting all measurements and images, Dan asked for dual confirmation to make sure it really was 'put your laundry away for 4 weeks'! Yup, still a girl. Both of us are just so excited, the baby's healthy and everything looks normal, we would have been either way. It's been pretty cool- ever since about the middle of the 15th week, I've started to feel the baby moving. It started out as just a fluttering, almost muscle twitch-type feeling. Over these 3 weeks, its become progressively stronger to feeling like a distinct kick to now where I can feel it on the outside with my hand. It makes me smile every time, especially when I'm at work, serves as a reminder to just chill out and enjoy life for a minute when I feel so busy hustling all day. (This is a profile shot, the head on the right, big round belly on the left)

more belly

Here's the belly at weeks 16 and 17. It's definitely looking more real to Dan and I. People at work still claim they don't see anything. Well, I'm running out of pants that fit or shirts that are long enough so I know that there's something growing in there!!
We made our first purchase for the baby... the crib and changing table. Looks good with the white kids furniture we already had from my room in college (its also been yellow and green). Waiting to find out boy or girl and then knowing me, I'm sure the room will be painted really soon thereafter. Baxter approves of the crib (peeking in bottom left). He raised up on back legs to see what's in there- silly, look through the bars! He'll make a good big brother.